Split Pea Sausage Soup

If you know me at all, you know this definitely is not something that I would pick out to eat. But since Oley went on his health eating kick we have extremely random ingredients lying around in our pantry and cupboards. Split peas and sausage being some of them. So here comes my big girl panties and the courage to try new things. . . . I'll let you know how it goes.

Ingredients

1 pound dried split peas
6 cups water
2 cans of chicken broth
1 pound smoked sausage of your choice, sliced
5 cubes chicken bouillon
1 1/2 cups chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1 onion, chopped

Directions

In Crock Pot combine the peas, water, chicken broth, sausage, bouillon, carrot, celery, potatoes, garlic powder, oregano, bay leaves, and onions.

Cook on High for 4 to 5 hours.

Remove bay leaves.

Serve with corn bread.

Chicken Taco Soup

I love the crock pot! I especially love the crock pot in the winter months when it produces the most delicious simple soups!

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can of chicken broth
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Directions

Put the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and diced tomatoes in the crock pot.

Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend.

Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, and press it down until it is slightly covered.

Cook for 5 hours on low.

Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and shred.

Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours.

Serve with shredded Cheddar cheese, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips.

Chicken and Dumplings in the Crock Pot

With Oley and I's schedules we rarely if ever eat dinner anymore, but it's Thanksgiving Break!!! That means I will be able to pull something together for dinner, and take him some at work.

Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons butter
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup (you can also alternate 1 can of cream of mushroom here if you would like)
1 can chicken broth
1 onion, finely diced
2 (10 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into small pieces (otherwise will take awhile to cook)
2 cans of mixed veggies, drained
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp seasoned salt and pepper

Instructions

Place all ingredients except biscuits in the crock pot.

Cover, and cook for 5 to 6 hours on High. About 1 hour before serving, place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center. If there is still to much liquid in the pot, add some flour and it will thicken the sauce.

Pineapple chicken in the Crock Pot

I can't give you a terrible or delicious rating cause we still haven't tried this, but we totally are going too!

Ingredients.

• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders, cut in 1-inch pieces
• 2/3 cup pineapple preserves
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon terriyaki sauce
• 2 cloves garlic sliced thinly
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion (or 1 bunch fresh green onions, chopped)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• dash cayenne, to taste
• 1 package (10 oz) sugar snap peas, thawed

Directions

• Put chicken in the crock pot
• Set sugar snap peas to the side. 
• Combine all other ingredients and spoon onto the chicken.  
• Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours
• Add the peas the last 30 minutes. 

Crockput bbq chicken pull apart sandwiches

Bonesless skinless chicken breast frozen
BBQ Sauce
Onion
Seasonings

Chop an onion in the crock pot and add about 1/2 cup soda (anything cola, diet, sprite, rootbeer, dr pepper whatever you have) and then put in frozen boneless skinless chicken breast (I use about 6-8 for a good sized pot or 12-14 for a full pot) this is a lot of food though! Set on high heat and leave it to cook about 6 hours. If you are going to be gone 8 hours I'd set it on low maybe? When you get home, drain off the juices, mash up the chicken, add seasons as you like and add a large bottle of bbq sause (any flavor you like) if you are doing a huge batch I use 2 bottles of sauce. Cook on low a bit longer continuing to stir and mash into the sauce. Serve on buns with a bit of cheese or however you like! Make sure you don't put in too much sauce or it will get runny and fall off the bun! Even better the next day as a leftover! GREAT for a big bunch of people at a bbq with little to no work!

Chicken Alfredo in the Crock Pot

I love Pasta, and this is definitely a must have!

Ingredients
- 5-6 chicken breasts
-1 10 3/4 oz can cream of chicken soup
- 1 10/3/4 oz can cream of celery soup
- 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, cubed
- 1 envelope of Italian Seasoning
- Noodles cooked


Directions
- Place Chicken, soups, cheese, and seasoning in slow cooker.  (I like to cut my chicken into one inch pieces)
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours
- Serve over buttered noodles.

Teriyaki Chicken

I know I know, we use our crock pot A LOT!  But hey it's summer time don't wanna heat the house up right!


Ingredients
3 large chicken breasts
1- 16 oz can pineapple chucks, partially drained
4-6 oz. teriyaki sauce (we used 6+ only becuase we love our stuff saucy)
Assorted vegetables (we used fresh broccoli cut up, & carrots, & then canned baby corn & water chestnuts)
Rice

Directions
- Place chicken in slow cooker
- Add Pineapple, Teriyaki, and vegetables
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hour (This will be less if the chicken was thaw)
- Serve over cooked rice

Taco Soup

I know I know you are gonna kill me for saying this but, I can't wait for the cooler weather so we can eat more soups. 

Ingredients
1 lb. of ground beef (I use ground turkey and turns out just as good if not better, cause it's healthier)
1- 15 oz can kidney beans
1 - 15 oz can whole kernel corn (drained)
1- 10 oz can Rotel Tomatoes
1 - Envelope dry Ranch dressing mix
1 - Envelope Taco seasoning
1 - 28 oz. can tomatoes
1 - 4 oz. can chile pepper, chopped (we like our food a little hotter so we added 2 of these)
1 - 15 oz can pinto beans

Directions
- Brown the ground beef and drain well
- Add remaining ingredients and stir
- Place in Slow cooker
- Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours
- Serve with Tortilla chips or cornbread

This recipe smells absolutely delicious after a long day at work.  We made the mistake of eating it right when we got home and didn't let is cool at all.  Once our tongues were sufficiently burned and we were full we realized wow this tastes even better when it's not burning hot!  Words of wisdom let cool before eating. 

Pork Chops in Gravy

I definitely am not a mushroom person (not a fan of that fungus stuff), but this actually was really good!  

Ingredients
2 lbs. boneless pork chops
1 - 10 3/4 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1 envelope of instant onion soup mix (we use the Lipton ones that come in packs of two)
1 small can mushrooms, drained

Directions
-Combine all ingredients in slow cooker
-Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

This is super simple and extremely delicious!  Love it when that happens. 

Honey Mustard Chicken

Ingredients
1 - 3-4lb. chicken
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sweet and tangy mustard
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. curry powder

Directions
- Rinse and pat dry chicken
- Place in slow cooker
- Mix remaining ingredients & pour over chicken
- Cover and cook on low for 10 hours